122. Q. What is the sixth petition [of the Lord’s prayer]? A. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”1

123. Q. What do we pray for in the sixth petition? A. That God will keep us from sin.

1In a bit of providential serendipity, today’s Monday with Mounce column is commentary on this phrase.

But what does it mean to “lead us not into temptation” (καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν)? We all know that God does not tempt us (James 1:13-14), and we know that testing can be good for us (James 1:2) — the two interpretive positions on πειρασμόν. So what does this phrase mean, and why would Jesus conclude his model prayer with something so difficult to understand?

Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.